The Home Office is embroiled in a bitter dispute with health officials over medical cannabis, effectively blocking NHS prescriptions for thousands of patients across England and Wales, an Independent investigation can reveal.
Bureaucratic Battle Over Patient Care
Despite cannabis-based medicines being legalised for prescription nearly six years ago, the Home Office's strict licensing requirements have created an insurmountable barrier for most NHS doctors. This has forced patients to seek private treatment at costs exceeding £1,000 monthly or return to illegal markets for relief.
One senior Department of Health and Social Care source expressed frustration, stating: "The Home Office sees this as a drug issue. We see it as a medicine issue. There's a fundamental difference in approach."
The Licensing Labyrinth
Medical professionals face a daunting bureaucratic process that requires:
- Specialist training in cannabis prescription
- Home Office licensing for prescribing THC-containing products
- Additional oversight from multiple regulatory bodies
- Complex paperwork that can take months to process
This regulatory maze has resulted in only three NHS prescriptions being issued in England last year, despite thousands of patients potentially benefiting from cannabis-based treatments.
Patients Pay the Price
The situation has created what campaigners call a "two-tier system" where only those who can afford private care access legal cannabis medicines. Many patients report being forced to choose between financial hardship and uncontrolled symptoms.
Chronic pain sufferers, epilepsy patients, and those with multiple sclerosis are among those most affected by the prescribing deadlock between government departments.
Wales Takes Independent Action
In a significant development, the Welsh government has initiated its own review of non-medical cannabis use, signalling potential further divergence in UK drug policy. This move highlights growing frustration with Westminster's approach to cannabis regulation.
The ongoing conflict between the Home Office and health authorities raises serious questions about patient access to legal treatments and the coordination of drug policy across government departments.
